Any of you have any baby seats in your TL? If so, how much room do you have? I was initially looking at the G35, but my wife is pregnant with twins, so that is out. My wife currently drives a Pathfinder, so we have plenty room for the four us and of course the dog. The question is, should the Pathfinder need service I want to make sure the TL is big enough for two child seats in the back. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Hank

 

I would say you would be fine.

My mom had an 03 4dr accord, and now has an 05 and when my sister had her kids (3) they where able to fit 2 car seats and the older child in the back...

In your case, if you dont have a 3rd going back their you will def. be fine because the accord and TL are very close as far as space I think.

 

Man, I don't know. A child seat is fine, but an infant seat is pushing it. I've got an infant seat on the passenger side and the front seat is almost allthe way up and straight up and down. I hope your not a very tall guy, because you would be very uncomfortable. They don't make cars these days for baby seats.

 

Hank1105

Concrats on the twins.
I've got 4 1/2 old twin girls and I can tell you that they both fit back there with booster seats and I (5'11") have the driver's seat all the way back. I'm guessing that with the rear facing child seats for newborns you will be OK as well especially of it is just once in a while. Heck, we had the rear facing seats in a Corolla for a few months before getting a Honda Ody van. Point being the TL is WAY BIGGER in back than the Corolla was and we got by on the ocasional times I need to drive it. Also, LATCH compatable car seats will make it a snap to mount the car seats in the TL. Hopefully your Pathfinder is new enough to have LATCH as well.

As far as the dog... mine isn't allowed in the TL yet and I know he wouldn't fit between the kids anyway. (Big Golden).

So, go for it. From personal experience I can say twins + new TL = Happy Daddy

Mike
05 ABP/Camel 6MT

 

Cool, thanks for the replies. The dog would definitely not be allowed in the TL, should I get one. I am not sure if the Pathfinder has the LATCH capicity, but I will need to find out. Didn't they introduce that only a few years ago?

Again thanks for the replies.

 

I am a soon to be daddy too and bought the TL for the "family car" aspect (aka sedan with 4 doors, since I have a coupe civic) and I was reading consumer reports report on baby seats and they said that LATCH sucks and that you should use the seat belt at all costs.

I would read up on those reports and not really on a car with the LATCH system.

 

WOW. We have been in boosters w/ the car's seat belts for a while but when we had LATCH car seats they were highly favored by all write-ups and law enforcement since they were much less subject to all the comon mistakes that people make when installing car seats. I was never able to get any seat installed as securely and easily as with a LATCH compatable seat.

At any rate I totally agree with tdawgy808 about reading the latest reviews and safety experts opinions since things may have changed with more data in. LATCH became mandatory in cars around 2001 I think so we were early adopters.

 

Yep. I have 2 car seats in mine. One is still rear facing for my infant so it does not give much room for the front seat, but I will be able to flip him around soon. For the forward facing seats there is plenty of room.

 

The car seat is one reason I dumped the 325. The TL is fine. I am six foot 225 and I have no problem with her behind me. I have had an infant seat in for 5 months now. I can tell you this, an infant seat will NOT fit in G35 and have any room left. I was crunched in the dash. Plus if it just temporary, while the suv is in the shop, you can live with a little crunch.

 

I wouldnt trust any kids in my car, except me of course. Does the LATCH system allow for other anchoring points?

 

if you have 2 or more kids, just buy an SUV or Mini-VAN and be a "soccer dad"

 

LATCH is fine, Consumer Reports rated several good seats that had LATCH. Based on their review, I went with Evenflo Truimph 5 Deluxe (bought from Sears). This is a *very* comfortable seat and provides side impact cushioning. The reason I bought the seat was based on the crash ratings.

As for the original poster, the seat mentioned above would fit in the center of the rear seat fine (I have the driver's seat all the way back). If you're putting in two infant seats, well, I hope you're short or don't mind driving with less leg room for a year until you can convert it to forward facing. You will not be able to put the driver's seat all the way back with two infant seats.

 

we had a 2002 Pathfinder we got rid of for the TL and our 1 car seat works fine. It is a forward facing Britax which can be larger as well. Room is equal to or better than the pathfinder. We just never liked the rear seat in that.

also the 2002 did not have latch. Started in 2003. Makes a world of difference.

To sum it up having owned both vehicles it is a wash and I have actually found it easier geting the kid into the TL(door openings and such) than the pathfinder.

 

You should be fine. I have three kids (7, 4, 2monts) and was able to get three car seats across the back in my Accord which I traded in for my TL last week. The TL is an inch wider than the Accord based upon the specs I researched at Edmunds. That being said, we usually use our Odyssey whith the kids.

I used to own a '96 Pathfinder. That rear seat was smaller than my Accord.

ABP / Camel / 6sp / Non-Navi

 

Thanks again everybody, I appreciate all the replies. Again, the TL would only be used if the Pathfinder was in the shop. Which is rare, knock on wood.

 

I have a kid or two in the back. How do you "latch" them down? I've tried peircing their ears but they alway scream whenever I get never them with a needle now adays since we used a lion-sized tranquilizer dart (ala Madagascar) on them for the 15 hours road trip across country.. LOL

 

Duct Tape

Gummy residue comes off with goo gone (Thanks to recommendations from the wash and wax forum ....)



For all those without a sense of humor, please note I am joking and assume no liability whatsoever for your idiocy when dealing with children or your car ...

 

I have a Britax round-about on the passenger side, and a Graco booster on the driver's side rear seats. It's a bit cramped getting the kids in and out, but it's doable. My wife prefers the minivan for family trips, but my kids love the TL.

 

Congrats on the twins! You got the "two for one special"!

I would not have bought my new TL if I had kids. My sister-in-law has kids and the inside her car looks like it got caught in a F5's path. Beyond jacked up if you ask me. Just this past easter her kids were eating easter eggs in the car and there were egg shells everywhere in the backseat. The day my wife tells me she is pregnant I'm selling my civic REAL quick so that I can get a four door beater. Let them jack that up all day!! I'll just make sure that the engine runs good!

 

I've used the reverse infant seat for a year (no room issues) and now an Eddie Bauer carseat that works great and my little one has plenty of room. It's not quite as roomy as my last Maxima but is far superior to a 3 series or an A4 (which by the way had the latch as an option - friggin Germans)

 

I have a 1999 TL and have noticed that for our son, who is a few months old that the infant seat doesn't fit well when behind me.

 

What bothers me is the LATCH hooks in the seat doesnt align up properly when the baby seat is either on the left or the right side.

the hook on the far ends are more inwards to the center, so if you have the seat protector pads, it needs to be moved inwards for the latch to hook on.



~mark

 

MDX is your solution !!!

 

I have a 17 month old, another one on the way and a TL combo. Works fine.

I would just be worried about the stroller, though.

 

Funny that I can respond, my 'baby' over 30. Yesterday I took out a friends child and her baby or I would never know. A rear facing baby seat fit behind me as a tight but acceptable fit. A stroller for one also fit in the trunk with no problem. A double stroller may be a problem however. I'm 6'0" and usually hae the seat almost all the way back. Best of luck with the kids and the car.

 

I've got a forward facing seat in my 05 and there's plenty of room. I just put it in a couple of weeks ago, and my 17 month old daughter is now obsessed with the TL. Seriously, she constantly points at it and wants to go for a ride. Yesterday she threw a fit when my wife started to load her into the Sienna. Obviously the chile has taste

 

Congrats on the kids. I can tell you from personal experience that the fastest way to get rid of that "new car smell" is to have your kid (17 month old boy) puke in the back seat! Not once, but twice! Happened to me this past Sunday. Most of it was contained in the car seat, some spilled onto the Prince Lionhart seat cover and onto the floor. Even after doing a thorough cleaning job (and washing the car seat cover) it still smells! Hopefully it will dissapate over the next few months or I'll have to spring for a steam clean of the carpets!

Of course if anyone has any other ideas, they are most welcome...